Billy Hatcher: Rewritten
by ChromaCross
Summary: The story of Billy Hatcher, but with the plot, world, and characters fleshed out, containing OCs vital to the plot.
1. Chapter 1 - Horizon

\-- Noon; West of Pirate's Island --

Morning Land was soon to be devoured from all sides.

This thought troubled the gray rooster teen. Menie-Funie himself had chosen him to protect Morning Land from imminent disaster, but the rooster was armed with no further knowledge. When would the Crows come? What could he possibly do about it?

The crystal waters of the Silent Sea lapped gently at his talons as he watched other Chickens his age and younger play in the shallows. None of them knew that soon this peace would be ripped away from them, peace they'd had since the making of the Second Wish.

 _How long is soon?_ The Chicken wondered. He gazed at the horizon, deep in thought. The clear sky and the calm ocean were separated by a thin, black line... _Wait, a black line? What is that?_

The line on the horizon grew slowly at first, but the rooster noticed it was accelerating. His heart pounded in his chest. Something wasn't right. A noise, faint at first, grew loud enough for him to hear. The sound was completely alien to him. It was low pitched and scratchy, being repeated and echoed countless times. The noises blended together into a cacophony of dread.

 _Soon was now._

"Everyone, flee to your Elder! The Crows are attacking!" His panicked call was shrill, making the playing Chickens stop and stare at him. The Crows covered half the sky now, their caws like daggers of ice in everyone's hearts. The rooster jumped and flapped his wings in a frenzy. "Dark Raven has returned!"

Many of the Chickens screamed and ran, but a few were frozen in place, beaks agape at the sight of the monsters they thought existed only in myth. Those who were too slow were knocked down by the stampede of evacuating chicks. The rooster grabbed a feeble chick's hand and hauled him off the ground. He ran with the chick under his wing, looking over his shoulder at the chaos.

Now, two adult hens and a member of the Clippen Clan had arrived and were fending off some of the Crows. He saw one of the paralyzed Chickens get surrounded by half a dozen of the monsters. One of the hens saved him and called, "Heed the words of our Sacred One! Alert and protect the Elders!"

Before he could open his beak to warn the trio that had come to their aid, the three adults were surrounded by gigantic beasts. He remembered that the sole reason for him being sent to the Surface as a hatchling was to prepare the world for this day.

Despite being raised knowing of that fact, the blood-curdling screams of the hens as they were slain would forever haunt him.


	2. Chapter 2 - Start of Adventure

**Billy Hatcher: Rewritten**

Chapter 2 – Start of Adventure

* * *

 **Hi, Billy Hatcher fans, wherever you are. Happy almost Christmas. This is my gift to the fandom, in hopes that we can come together as a group and be revived.**

 **Notes on capitalizations of 'Crow' and 'Chicken': When referring to the intelligent races of morning land, these names will be capitalized. If a character sees one as normal, their thoughts and/or narration will have the word in lower case. E.g. Billy sees a Crow, but thinks it's a crow. I hope you understand, dear reader.**

* * *

His shoes kicked up the dirt on path North of his home village. He skimmed the surroundings as they zoomed past, looking for the rotted stump that marked where the hidden path was. Soon, he caught it whizzing behind him. Billy's sudden stop made him fall to the dirt, knocking the air out of him.

"At least I found it," he wheezed to himself. He stood up and brushed the dirt off his sweater, then entered the forest beyond the stump. Grass, leaf litter, and sticks had been trampled by him and his friends going this way for years, leaving a clear path for them to follow.

At the end of the path was a clearing in the woods, with his three other friends sat at the far end under a large tree. Bantam looked up from his pocket watch with a look of disappointment.

"You're late, man."

Chick scoffed, pulling at the grass. "Let me guess," his eye roll was smoothly followed by a glare at Billy. "Didn't set your alarm?" Rolly frowned at the youngster's cold tone.

Billy tried to laugh it off. "Whoops." He'd hoped they would let it slide, but the three stood up and surrounded him. Bantam leaned in, his face mere inches from Billy's.

"We've decided that you'll be it today, as your apology." The older boy smirked playfully.

"I wasn't _that_ late! C'mon, guys..."

"We waited a damn hour for you!" Chick snapped, causing Billy to flinch at the curse. Chick may be the youngest of the four, but his mouth was the worst. That's just who he was.

When Billy was about to speak again, a rustle in the undergrowth caught his attention- no, he corrected himself; the rest heard it, too. The group then caught a peeping sound, small and faint. They all went quiet. Bantam stepped forward, each step lasting an eternity, and gently reached out to part the leaves. Billy heard him gasp.

When he stepped back, the rest saw what he'd discovered. It looked like an anthropomorphic bird- maybe a baby chicken? Some of it's soft, yellow feathers were torn out. Various cuts over it's body stained the plumage with blood.

"We need... your help... p-please," the chick begged with a feminine voice, staring up at them. She stepped forward and her shaky legs gave out underneath her. The impact of the ground shot pain through her feeble body. Gasping for air, she raised her head of the grass and gave one last, faint call for help before collapsing.

Rolly screamed, falling to her knees beside the chick. Bantam knelt beside her and helped move the bird on her back. After a moment of thick silence, Rolly whispered, "I think she's still alive."

Chick furrowed his brow. "But _what_ is she? Where did she come from?"

Bantam scanned the trees above. "There's gotta be more of them. She said ' _we_ need your help.'"

 _Help with what?_ Billy wondered. Just then, dread crept down his spine and made the hairs on his neck stand up. He whirled around. Perched on a low-hanging branch were two evil birds with empty eyes. In contrast to their shadowy bodies, their breasts and beaks were white. One of the birds gave out a loud, scratchy caw. _Crows? But... I've never seen crows like that._

The Crow that cawed now clicked its beak, eyes locked on the passed out Chicken. It shifted its weight from foot to foot. It spread its wings, fanning every feather with care. And then, it launched into the air and swooped to deliver the final blow to its prey with a final caw.

The next moment happened quick. Billy jumped for the stick at his feet, grasping it firmly with both hands. He swiveled on the ball of his foot, swung his arms back, and leapt. With the Crow below him, he cracked the branch on its head.

"Yeah! Bug off, crow!" He whooped. The Crow stood up in a daze and flew away with its partner.

"Billy, she's waking up," Rolly called. He dropped his weapon and hurried over. The chick's closed eyelids twitched once, then twice, before they finally opened a crack.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Her body began to glow faintly, then so bright the group had to shield their eyes. Billy couldn't feel the ground under his feet as light consumed them. When it faded, the five were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

 **I hope you've enjoyed this fic so far. I try really hard to bring something new to the table, especially since there's _another_ rewriting of this cutscene already on this website.**

 **As for chapter schedules, I'm thinking once a week. Maybe on Fridays. These past few chapters were short and easy, making them the exceptions. If I finish early I'll be tempted to post sooner... But I must resist! Consistency prevents writer's block!**

 **Oh, and, if you read this far, thank you so much for checking out my fic! I'd love if you would leave a review, or maybe PM me so we can be friends! We both like this niche game, after all.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Morning Land

In the dream, Billy stood on a white floor, seeing nothing ahead of him but white. He cried out, but his voice made no sound. Instead, mist covered whatever it was he stood on. _Where am I?_ He thought. The mist crept along, grouping in front of him and spiralling upwards into the shape of a gigantic chicken the size of himself. Two bright, green eyes shone through the fog.

 _ **Billy Hatcher,**_ a voice rang in his head.

"Who are you?" Billy asked, then huffed when he remembered- he couldn't speak here. He stood, puzzling over how to communicate.

 _ **I heareth thy thoughts, and I shalt answer: I am Menie-Funie, God of the Chickens.**_

 _You're a God? Why am I dreaming of this?_

 _ **This is no dream, mine knave. I am speaking to thee for a very important reason- Our worlds art both in peril. if 't be true mine is taken over by the darkness, evil wilt corrupt the hearts of both our kin. I saw the spark of courage from deep within thy spirit. That is wherefore I hath chosen thee for the duty of saving Morning Land.**_

 _I don't understand! This doesn't make any sense!_ Billy ran towards the mist, but it vanished at his touch. The dream began to dim. When he could see nothing but black, Menie-Funie's voice called to him one last time...

 _ **I fare thee well, Kanaka, mine knave.**_

...And he opened his eyes. Above him were the hundreds of rings seen on the wood of ancient trees, and the walls around the room were also of wood. Was the whole place carved out of a giant tree? While his sight was the first to return to him, touch was next, and underneath him he felt the embrace of a soft bed filled with down. He drank in the air, recognizing the smell of nature after a light shower of rain.

What had previously been a droning ring in his ears became the sound of many talons clicking against the wooden floor. Billy sat up and held his pounding head.

"The human's awake! Kahu, come here!" A small boy exclaimed. Billy turned to him and saw not a human child, but a chick just like the one he and his friends had found.

The chick's head feathers were tied back like hair, flowing long and thin. Around his neck was a silky, red scarf. "I'm so glad you're up," he said. "My name is Ukui. Do you have a name?"

Billy refrained from raising an eyebrow. "I'm Billy."

Ukui hopped up and down. "Wow! That name sounds so cool! I wish I had a name as cool as that."

 _I don't think it's that cool,_ he thought. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw a figure in a bed next to his. The whole room was lined with beds, some vacant. But the chick nearest to him was wounded.

"I remember her," Billy said. "I protected her from... Crows, I think they were."

A new voice, an older, and more feminine one, spoke. "So I've heard. Her name is Anela." Billy turned and saw a Chicken, the size of him, like the shape of the mist in his dream. Her feathers were tinted rose and her eyes dully glowed light blue under heavy eyelids. "She was tasked by Menie-Funie to find a hero from the mythic human world. A special child, she is."

The boy recognized that name. That dream wasn't of his imagination- the Chicken God was real, and clearly held power here. "Menie-Funie, your god... Do you know why he chose Anela in particular?"

The hen stood in thought. "She must have something magic about her," She began, unsure. "Menie-Funie cannot speak to us, the people he protects. And yet he could contact her. Child, I will be sure to ask her when she wakes, and then you may know."

 _A god who can't speak to his own people?_ "I'll be sure to remember that, uh... What's your name?"

"Kahu," she replied.

"I'll keep it in mind, Kahu." The hen nodded and stepped over to Anela, checking her condition. Billy turned to Ukui. "Can I ask you something?"

The chick smiled. "Sure! Go ahead!"

"Do you know what happened to me?"

The question seemed the stump Ukui, for he went quiet. Eventually he spoke, though slowly at first. "Kahu said that Anela was sent to find you. Not you in particular, I don't think, but just someone who could help us. When you saved her from the Crows, she used whatever power Menie-Funie gave her to bring you here."

"Are my friends here, too? Are they okay?"

Ukui's eyes widened. "There were more of you? Gosh, I wouldn't know. They may have been sent here too, or they may not have been."

Billy frowned. "Oh... Well, there's a chance. Anyways, where exactly _am_ I?"

"We call this place Morning Land," The boy began, his eyes lighting up. "You're in Forest Village, in the South-Western part of the continent."

"And why was I sent here?"

"The Crows came and, using some weird magic, turned all of our Elders into golden eggs... So now the Sun won't rise anymore. The Crows are trying to take over. Our Forechickens prophesied that Morning Land would be taken over, so they prepared a special suit for a human to wear, and with it they would save us."

Billy gaped. "Y-You want _me_ to save an entire world? I... I'm just a kid! You should have brought an adult!" He saw the excitement in the chick's eyes dim.

"But... Menie-Funie brought you here, Billy," Ukui croaked, dropping his gaze. "He chose you as our only hope. If you don't, then..."

"Okay! Okay," Billy sputtered, reaching a hand out to pat Ukui's feathered head. "I'll... I'll do it. I'll save Chicken Land." _At least... I'll try to._

"Morning Land," Ukui corrected, looking back up to meet Billy's eyes. "But thank you. Thank you so much..."

As Billy sat there, thinking, Ukui leaned into Billy's chest and hugged him. The soft, warm, feathered arms wrapped gently around his torso created a wave of comfort. _I don't really have a choice in the matter,_ he thought. _This Chicken... This kid is depending on me._

Eventually, Ukui backed away. Billy slipped off the bed and adjusted his sweater. _I smell like... Hay._ He looked back to Ukui.

"My bro can help you more than I can," He began, turning and heading towards a stairwell downwards near the far wall. Billy figured it was best to follow him. "He's older, and smart, and strong, and the coolest guy I know!"

At the bottom of the stairway, Billy felt the chill of night air as he set foot onto the straw-covered dirt floor. A large, open entryway carved into the front of the tree lead to the nighttime darkness the candles hung upon the walls were repelling. To the left of the entrance, Billy saw a rooster talking to two chicks, who he dismissed when he turned around and saw Billy.

"So, you are awake," He begins, walking towards Billy. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Kanaka. I am Oléhu." Oléhu held out his wing, tipped with a dark blue, that Billy hesitantly shook.

"Um... My name's Billy," He murmured, puzzled. _That's what Menie-Funie called me._

"So it is. Kanaka is the human hero prophesied to vanquish the Crows." Oléhu brushed some of the long feathers on his head out of his eyes, which observed Billy carefully with a dull red hue. "Humans hold no power in Morning Land unless they are granted the power of Menie-Funie himself. Come with me, Kanaka." He turned briskly and walked out of the tree.

Billy huffed and followed suit. Outside, there was a worn dirt path winding between two rows of gigantic trees, each one hollowed out to make a home. Their entrances and windows were sealed with foliage and bark, allowing only small slivers of candlelight to leak through. Atop each home was a thick canopy of leaves, above which was the clear night sky.

To Billy's surprise, he saw Oléhu duck between what must have been the hospital and the house right next to it, staying as far away from any exposed areas.

They crept along, hugging walls and dashing across the dirt path, until trees and the canopy vanished and there sat only a bare tree-windmill atop a hill, the dirt path leading right inside.

"The Elder's residence," Oléhu briefly explained before rushing inside, leaving Billy out of breath as he tried to match Oléhu's pace.

"Where's the Elder?" Billy rasped, hands on his knees.

Oléhu turned to him and raised a brow. "Stuck in an egg," he stated, before turning back around and approaching a large chair, perhaps a wooden throne, that was padded with cotton pillows. He walked around behind it, and Billy heard the sound of a latch being undone. Not wanting to be left in the dark about what was going on, he joined Oléhu's side and watched as the rooster opened a secret compartment. White light shone madly, forcing Billy to squint.

Oléhu stepped back as the light faded, revealing a white egg the size of Billy. On its front was a strange red symbol. "This is the gift of Menie-Funie, which shall grant you the power of our people, Kanaka. It is vital to your quest."

Billy tentatively reached forward until his hand touched the surface of the egg, to which it then burst into that same white light, so bright it would leave Billy seeing spots for the next few hours. He saw flashes of colour, but by the time the light had vanished, the egg was completely gone.

He immediately noticed his breath had returned. His legs feel fine, too. It was like he was never sprinting at all before now.

He also felt like he was wearing something heavy on his head.

"Oléhu?" He asked, slowly beginning to look at what he was wearing.

"Yes?" Oléhu replied, calmly looking over Billy.

"What am I wearing?"

Oléhu paused for a moment, tilting his head. "The Legendary Chicken Suit, Kanaka. The gift that will allow you to bring light to Morning Land."


End file.
